The LWord
by obsessivegirl73
Summary: Luna has secretly harbored a crush on Harry Potter throughout her years at Hogwarts. One-sided Luna/Harry. One-shot. Written for the Alliteration Competition by ParadoxicallyRandom on the HPFC forum


Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

The L-Word

Luna Lovegood wasn't bullied only because she was a dreamer of exotic things. No, she was also bullied because of her brutal honesty, even in the face of danger. Her brutal honesty had always told her that she would get to know Harry Potter for who he really was, but never fall in love with him.

Well, it was wrong.

Throughout most of her first year, it seemed like her hypothesis was correct. In the beginning of the year when she passed him in the halls, she would smile at him, and he would kind of do a half smile back at her, not realizing anything out of the ordinary, if he even realized it at all. Luna thought that he would probably be smiling at anyone who smiled at him since he needed the support and it was polite.

Later on in the year he had the whole parseltongue fiasco. Luna was there, but near the back of the crowd, so that anybody who didn't care about her wouldn't notice her, but the people who were her friends would see her. It hurt her a little bit on the inside, but she had to admit that, really, only Ginny was her friend at the school. But Luna also knew that she would get more friends at some point. The question was how.

But, anyways, in the hallways, Harry smiles were melting and turning into frowns. He would still attempt them, but they would be emptied of the happiness he previously had.

Although Luna herself wasn't too sad that Hermione Granger was petrified, too narrow-minded especially for being a smart girl, Harry was extremely upset. What little hints of happiness were once in his smiles were gone. Actually, to see him smile now was a rare occurrence, one that made Luna surprisingly happy.

Of course, at this point students were not supposed to be out in the halls without teacher supervision. But, why would that stop Luna? She was a free soul- she would never be limited by rules. Teachers would give her disapproving looks, and Professor Flitwick even called her to his office once to discuss her wandering, but they held no effect on Luna.

But, regardless of all her efforts, Harry would never notice her. The murmurs that ran through the crowds about her clearly never reached him.

And it surprised Luna, but she was starting to get annoyed at it. This was the first inkling that she got that she might have a crush. But, honestly, why would she of all people crush on Harry James Potter?  
It wasn't number one of her worries (the bullies were getting extremely irritating and she wanted her clothing back), but it was quickly rising in her mind, providing even more proof that she liked him.

However, it wasn't until the end of the year that Luna was sure that she liked him.

Somehow, she had managed to convince one of the fellow Ravenclaws in her year to tell her what the shocking rumors said about him.

Harry had gone into the girls' lavatory with Moaning Myrtle, and since he was the heir of Slytherin, he had managed to get into the Chamber of Secrets. This had a whole labyrinth that he had to find his way through, until he got to where he had kept Ginny. At this point, Luna was very shocked. Her best friend had been down there and that was probably the reason why everyone was sent to their common rooms.

But, the story went on. Harry picked up the Sword of Gryffindor, which had magically transferred to the Chamber from the Headmaster's office, and he killed his own basilisk for no apparent reason. Then he saved Ginny, and Fawkes (who had shown up somewhere in there) took the two, plus Ron Weasley and Lockhart (they had gone in with him) to the Headmaster's office where they...lived happily ever after. Except for Lockhart, he had lost his memory.

Luna frowned and thanked the girl before wandering around to contemplate. Obviously, there were a lot of holes in the story, being gossip and all, but it must have had some basis in truth.

It seemed likely that Ginny was in the Chamber and Harry had saved her. Luna felt a debt of gratitude, but she couldn't help but wonder if that other feeling in her stomach could be...could it be the L-word, love?

*LLLLLLLLLLL*

On the Hogwarts Express, the dementors came and they affected Luna very badly. Her mother had died three years ago before her eyes and she was still being affected by it. Luckily, she had happened to be very close to the lady with cart of candy and she had got some chocolate to help herself recover. It was common knowledge in her family how to deal with many creatures, and dementors were not exception. Of course, it also helped that the lady was handing it out freely to people.

Later, at the feast, she noticed that Harry wasn't at his normal spot at the Gryffindor table with his friends. Actually, only Ron was there. Harry had obviously been affected by the dementors, what with his past and all, but Luna had no idea why Hermione wasn't there. She would have to figure out why later, for now there was food on the table and she needed to regain her strength.

A couple of months later, it was October and Luna was staying up late, reading a book in the Ravenclaw Common Room when a prefect told her that everyone was moving to the Great Hall for tonight. Something about Sirius Black being in the castle.

Luna didn't really think that he was really inside, or even out to get Harry. After all, why would Stubby Boardman have a grudge against Harry? Stubby was most definitely not a Death Eater.

It was very obvious that Harry didn't share the same thoughts that Luna did. Luna watched him even after he fell asleep, and he was having a very restless time. Poor Harry. She really hoped that the year would get better.

Naturally, it didn't. Especially when Harry fell from his broom in the quidditch match. Luna would have joined the huge crowd that was crowding around him, but she decided not to as he was sure to need his space and every single person counted.

Nothing eventful seemed to happen for a while; Luna went home for Christmas and Harry stayed.

When she got back, Luna heard rumors that Harry had received a jinxed Firebolt from Sirius Black, but of course that was absurd. Come March, she found out that he actually DID receive said Firebolt, except of course it was not cursed. When Harry sent out his Patronus, Luna felt a little jolt in her stomach. She felt so proud that he was able to do that.

At the end of the year, Trelawny wasn't the only one to receive an inkling that the Marauders would be out and about. Luna just had a feeling, and of course it was correct. When she couldn't see Harry leaving the castle from her dormitory window, she couldn't help but say angrily comment that Harry needed to STOP lollygagging this instant!

And strangely enough, it worked. Within a few seconds, he and his gang walked inside. Luna slept happily that night, knowing that Stubby, Harry, and Buckbeak were safe.

*LLLLLLLLLLLL*

Luna went to the Quidditch World Cup that summer, same as most other people. What was different from most other people was that she and her father went home that night after the match was over and only heard about the story from the Daily Prophet afterwards. Even if you're running a rival business, it's good to see what the other is doing. Although she was very worried about the Dark Mark coming back, it was a huge relief to her that Harry appeared to be safe.

That feeling dissipated much later in the year when his name came out of the Goblet of Fire. From where Luna was sitting at the Ravenclaw table, she could hear the Beauxbatons students talking outraged in another language, presumably French. Luna had to agree, but for a completely different reason- she didn't want her Harry getting hurt!

In the first task, she had started off hugely worried as the other champions had not done as well as they had hoped and had gotten injured in one way or another. She was completely shocked when Harry not only escaped unharmed, but with the highest score as well! It was probably due to someone helping him, but Luna didn't know for sure.

Then, the Yule Ball came. She saw Harry in the search for a date, and wished for nothing more than to just walk up to him and ask if he wished to go with her. But, Luna also knew she had to resist as he didn't know her at all, and so wouldn't say yes, and that would leave her heartbroken. She most certainly did not want to end up heartbroken.

At last, he ended up going with Parvati Patil. Her twin sister was in Ravenclaw, in the year above Luna. There would be no way that it would end up well, Luna knew. And right she was.

At the second task, Luna managed to learn that there were mermaids in the water. She had always wanted to hear the song of the mermaids, so when it was nearly halftime, she stuck her head underwater to hear the supposedly light lilting lovely melody. It wasn't nearly as good as she had hoped. Oh well. Now she knew for the future. Once again, she felt immense relief when Harry popped up with Ron and the Beauxbatons' champion's sister. G something or another.

Finally it came time for the third task and she was not happy with the results at all. Well, maybe a little. But Cedric dying was much worse and overshadowed Harry's win of the tournament. Plus, You-Know-Who was now back and that was not going to be good. Hopefully Harry would be able to survive again.

*LLLLLLLLLLL*

Luna finally got to meet Harry in her fourth year. It was better than she could have hoped for- even if it didn't go quite as well as it could have been either. Of course, he had met her, but he hadn't seemed to get a good impression of her. It probably didn't help that she had told him that he was just as sane as she was…

At least she was on better terms with him than she was Hermione. Insulting the Quibbler was not a good way to go. She tried not to get too mad, but she was feeling very unhappy.

Still, he seemed to be alright during dinner. As Luna munched on a lima bean, she watched Harry to see how he was feeling about the Sorting Hat's song and Umbridge's speech. Hermione had seemed to understand what Umbridge really meant; thank goodness that she was smart enough to understand that. Harry didn't seem to be eating as much. Perhaps he had suddenly found out he was lactose-intolerant, but it was much more likely that he was not happy that people didn't believe him and the Ministry was being rather stupid.

Luna's second theory was confirmed correct when she heard that students were meeting in the Hog's Head to form some sort of defense group. She happily went along, partially because she did want to learn how to defend herself better, and partially because she wanted to see Harry again.

Luna was very happy that she got to speak to Harry at all, even if it was just asking about his Patronus. Then again, patronuses were very cool in themselves. Perhaps she could learn how to make one herself in this club. Dumbledore's Army. That could end up to not being a good name, but in the spirit of rebellion Luna did not say anything on it and the same could be said of any name.

Later in the year she, Harry, Hermione and Rita Skeeter had the interview at The Three Broomsticks. Luna was thrilled to be there just to be with Harry. Of course, it was good publicity for her daddy's newspaper as well. Rita Skeeter seemed to be very different from how the articles she wrote described her, but that was probably because of Hermione's blackmail.

Of course, the whole fiasco at the end of the year was the most important in Luna's mind. The six people who had gone to the Ministry had become very close friends. Naturally, Harry hadn't started to love her, but they were much closer than they had been. Their conversation over the death of Sirius had made her fall truly head-over-heels in love with him, and Harry seemed to have a slight crush on her, though he didn't realize it.

However, all of the other five people had become so close to Luna that she decided to paint portraits of them and hang them from her ceiling, as they were her only friends.

*LLLLLLLLLLLLL*

When Luna heard Harry reciprocate being friends, she went into such a daze over it that she could only respond with saying that it was nice. And on top of that, he had turned down Romilda Vane's offer to sit with her, a more normal person, to stay with Luna and Neville. It was wonderful.

What was even MORE wonderful than that was when Harry had asked her to Slughorn's party. As friends. However, with how much Harry had stuttered over inviting her, Luna could tell that Harry liked her quite a lot. He just didn't realize it. Perhaps he would realize at the party, and they could be like the lovebirds that everyone saw floating around the school. Probably not, but there was always that off chance.

They didn't. It probably didn't help that Luna didn't spend much time with Harry, instead talking with Professor Trelawney (who had invited her there anyways? Not many people liked her…), Sanguini the vampire, and a few other people. She had talked to Harry a little bit as well though, making him laugh incredibly hard at one point. She probably should have talked to him more if she had wanted him to really start liking her, but Luna want for him to be happy outweighed her want to be happy.

Of course, the quidditch match that she was commentator for was an awful lot of fun, but it was a disappointment that she didn't get to comment on more. Harry had seemed to enjoy it though, as had Ron.

However, her hopes for Harry being in love with her were dashed when news spread that he and Ginny were dating. Her best friends were dating. She was happy for them, of course, but Luna couldn't stop the pains in her stomach whenever she saw them walking around together.

The battle at the end of the year did not go very well at all. Harry was horribly unhappy, and Dumbledore was dead as well. The next year did not appear to be good at all either.

*LLLLLLLLLLLL*

Bill and Fleur's wedding in the summer before her sixth year was a great opportunity to see Harry before he left to go on the horcrux hunt. With how much Luna loved him, it was incredibly easy to recognize who he was, disguise or not. What wasn't nearly as easy was staying away from him to allow some space. But, still, she was able to resist with the thought of him being unhappy if she stayed with him for a long time.

Luna felt a ping in her stomach when Harry left, although she knew it would be for the best if he was to defeat You-Know-Who, which was of course necessary.

She, Ginny, and Neville all stepped up to take the place of Harry, Ron and Hermione. They couldn't do nearly as good of a job as the trio had done, but they could certainly try.

Granted, it was a lot harder to be leading the school when you get captured by Death Eaters. It was also hard to lead when Harry rescued you himself, but it was HARRY. HARRY cared enough to rescue HER. Surely he might love her now. But, of course he didn't since he was in love with Ginny.

At Shell Cottage, things seemed to be going very languidly. Nothing much was happening, even when she and Harry were talking.

Then the Final Battle came. Neville had informed Luna of the trio's return via the galleon coins, so of course she came. When she and Harry had gotten to have their own little walk to Ravenclaw Tower, Luna felt as if she was floating on clouds.

Naturally, that moment was promptly ruined by the beginning of the lurid battle. Luna fought as hard as she could, producing patronuses (her corporeal form had ended up being a hare) to help save numerous people, including Harry, and at one point she was even fighting Bellatrix Lestrange with her best friends. Scary, but necessary.

Then, at last, Voldemort came back with a supposedly dead Harry Potter. For a moment, Luna let her emotions get to her and she truly thought that he was dead. But, when she let her logical mind interfere, Luna promptly noticed the slight movement of his chest. She smiled in her mind, being careful not to show it on her face.

And after the battle, Luna was able to cause some happiness to Harry when she distracted people to let him get away.

As he walked away, Luna realized that her love for Harry Potter had diminished and her friendship with him had grown. She would still love him for a while though, but there was the future possibility of finding her one true love. At last.

**AN: **Wow that was not how I was thinking this would end at all. Strange. It's also strange that HarryLuna is my OTP and yet this is the only story I've written for it and it's one-sided…

Anyways, this was written for the Alliteration Competition on the HPFC forum by ParadoxicallyRandom with the character Luna Lovegood and the prompts lavatory, labyrinth, lollygagging, language, lilting, lima bean, lactose-intolerant, lovebirds, languidly, and lurid. Or those are the ones I picked at least. :)

**Thanks for reading, and please review! :D**


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